Host Mary Ellen Pinkham goes to the rescue of a homeowner to offer tips on how for properly cleaning light fixtures.
- First make sure that a dining-room chandelier is the correct distance from the table. It should be between 30 and 36 inches above the dining-room table.
- First clean the lampshade or shades. Use an ostrich feather duster and dust the chandelier at least once a week to keep the dust from building up (see photo).
- Tap the duster on your foot to shake out the dust. The dust should fall to the floor, where it's easy to vacuum up.
- If the shades are a bit grimy, clean off the dirt with a dry sponge. Use long, firm stokes. When finished, clean the sponge with soap and water.
- Choose the right kind of light fixture to make cleaning easier. A hard-surfaced lampshade will be easier to clean.
- Use rubbing alcohol to clean crystal ornaments. First remove the ornaments from the light fixture. Pour about a cup of alcohol into a glass bowl, dip each ornament into the alcohol and lay on a thick towel to air dry. The alcohol will evaporate, leaving no streaks on the ornaments.
- If the metal parts of a light fixture begin to tarnish, clean them with a polish that is safe to use on metal.
- When one light bulb burns out on a multi-lamp fixture, go ahead and change all the bulbs. This will keep them all on the same cycle.
- Don't forget the switch the plates. Remove the switch plates and clean them with soap and water. Use an old toothbrush to clean grit from grooves. Dry thoroughly before putting them back on the light switch.
